


Compromise

by Cardinal_Daughter



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 08:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13337223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cardinal_Daughter/pseuds/Cardinal_Daughter
Summary: It wasn’t fair, she thought to herself, then laughed at how even after so much time had passed, even after she’d lived and learned so much - it still always came down to that same simple issue.Sequel toRedefine





	Compromise

**Author's Note:**

> It seems this is becoming a yearly thing... 
> 
> Last year I posted my most ambitious Laybrinth fanfic, one that I'd struggled and fought with, lamented over, and loved dearly. The ending finally came, but I was never fully satisfied with it and always knew that something else would have to happen. This year, Sarah, and therefor I, got our collective shit together, and thus _Compromise_ was born. 
> 
> It is probably best to have read my work _Redefine_ first for this to make sense. I don't think it's 100% necessary, but it might help with some of the more nuanced moments within this story. Link for your convenience: http : // archiveofourown . org / works / 9283178 (just remove the spaces). 
> 
> Apologies for any errors.

_Compromise_

 

 

Sarah lay on her stomach in the Goblin King’s bed, sheets tangled around her waist. Her arms were cushioned underneath the luxurious feather pillow, and the fireplace filled the room with a soft, atmospheric glow and soothing warmth that would otherwise have her lulled into a gentle sleep had her mind not been so preoccupied.

Tonight had been… eye-opening.

The silk gown she’d worn to that night’s ball was draped rather carelessly at the foot of the bed, and the man who’d tugged it off her was seated to her right, reclined against the ornate headboard, eyes glued to parchment- a letter, she surmised.  He often read correspondence in bed, at least in the Underground, while Sarah dosed or slept or otherwise occupied herself with a book. Sometimes she would read over his shoulder and he would pretend to be put out but would angle the page ever so slightly toward her, to allow her to see what was said.

Tonight, however, she had no such interest. Her own internal musings were active, and she was doing her best to make sense of them.

Today was the Spring Equinox, and as such the Underground had held a lavish celebration. Jareth had invited Sarah who had been thrilled to attend, though it had once again brought to life the burning questions and worries that never quite managed to leave Sarah at peace.

_Isn’t this queenly territory?_

She’d kept her concerns at bay, and had simply told Jareth she didn’t know what to wear to her first Underground ball that she was _willingly_ attending. He’d laughed heartily at that, and had assured her that she would have nothing to worry about.

But Sarah, never one to back down from a challenge, found _plenty_ of reasons to worry.

Would she make a social faux pas? Would her attending on the Goblin King’s arm be confirmation of something that it most certainly was _not_? Was it wise for a mortal woman to mingle amongst so many Fae? What if she was questioned about her future with Jareth- inquiring minds, and all that?

By the time the night of the ball had arrived, she’d been such a nervous wreck Jareth had noticed her trembling. When he’d questioned her, after ‘helping’ her lace up her dress (and if only his attentions had been enough to calm her nerves!) she’d merely laughed it off and claimed she was just excited to be a part of a real party, and hoped she didn’t do anything to embarrass the Goblin Kingdom too much.

“Dearest,” he’d replied with the driest tone, “Have you _met_ my subjects?”

They’d entered the ball looking every bit the king and queen they weren’t. Jareth’s attire was similar to what he’d worn the night he’d tried to seduce her in the peach-dream, and Sarah’s medieval-style dress shimmered in a starlight silver that deepened as it flowed out from her waist into a midnight blue. Her hair was curled and pinned up with moon and star diamond pins, and she wore a silver pendant similar to Jareth’s own. She had the markings of a queen, and she and the whole room knew it.

But she hadn’t wanted this, hadn’t she? Now that she’d dressed and played the part of Jareth’s equal- something he’d long emphasized she was- she had to wonder: would being on Jareth’s arm and by his side as his queen truly be so bad? Tonight had been a dream, in the best sense, and Sarah found herself wishing- though she daren’t voice said wish aloud- that she could be brave enough to accept all of what Jareth offered her.

But she’d started this relationship with a list of conditions and commands, and she almost felt that changing her mind would make her selfish. _Spoiled Sarah, always getting what she wanted._ But would Jareth really begrudge such a change of heart? He’d proven, in the months they’d been together, that he was very much a Fae king with mysterious and infuriating ways, but he was also very much a man in love, and her world continued to blend in a mix of natural and supernatural so seamlessly that she sometimes wondered at there having to be a distinction at all. She co-existed so peacefully, bouncing in and out of the Underground, that she often questioned why she'd been so adamant about keeping her life here and there equal but separate in the first place.

Would it _really_ be so bad, to be a queen who ran a bookstore on the side? Or was she a manager who reigned on her days off? Did it matter?

She’d witnessed firsthand tonight that Jareth’s peers respected her. Perhaps not to the same degree that they regarded him, but she had been on his arm, and had used her words carefully, and had enthralled other fair folk with tales of the Above. She knew she had the love of his subjects. She spent as much time with the goblins in the throne room as she did anywhere else. Hoggle, Didymous, and Ludo were her best friends and chief escorts when she was Underground, and she’d visited more places than she’d thought could possibly exist in the Labyrinth. She’d had tea and cakes with a variety of creatures, all of whom regarded her as The Lady or The Champion, and she didn’t have the heart to tell them that she was _really_ _just Sarah_ , because she _wasn’t_ ‘really just Sarah’, was she?

She considered all of this, all her thoughts and fears and worries and hesitations and reluctance. She'd been so worried about something that ultimately just happened naturally, and she was in the middle of it before she'd realized it. And she was happy. Once she'd claimed to be happy Above, and that was what had held her back. Now, she realized she was just as happy, if not more so if she were completely honest, Underground.

With Betty back, she didn't have to worry about the shop quite so much. She was still the manager, but Betty was there every day with mischief in her eyes, so Sarah knew Bonie Doon would be fine. And she was still acting, though she'd taken smaller roles in favor of less rehearsal time so she could be with Jareth and the denizens of the Underground. It was a loss she didn't quite count as such, and it was that understanding that cemented the fact that this was definitely love.

There was still the issue of her parents, but that would sort itself out, she was certain.

All the fears that had hindered her regard for Jareth and his kingdom had melted away one by one in the months since she'd dragged him to her bed and offered him her love in exchange for an understanding that she couldn't be what he wanted. Now, she knew that not only _could_ she be everything he wanted, she _wanted_ to be those things. Perhaps she would be a terrible queen. Perhaps she would someday feel that rattling in her bones that Betty described and hand the store off to Casey and lose herself in the Labyrinth once more. Perhaps her time would come far too soon and Forever would pass by too quickly; but it was going to pass regardless, so why not enjoy it with the man she loved?

The revelation caused her to open her eyes and look at Jareth. He was still oblivious to her inner musings, and she took the opportunity to study him.

He was _beautiful_.

Not just his appearance, though she could - and _had_ \- waxed poetic about how perfect he looked numerous times. But he was more than physically appealing. He was cunning, witty, wry, vastly intelligent. He was a little vain, but it was certainly earned, and above all he was patient and loving and giving. He gave more than anyone she’d ever known. He gave the goblins more grace than they sometimes deserved. He gave his undivided attention to denizens who came to him with complaints and problems, and what couldn’t be solved with magic was handled as best as possible, and he never dismissed someone’s concern as beneath him. He was patient with her, and never brought up her conditions to their being together. He’d merely accepted them and went about loving her as much as she allowed.

It wasn’t fair, she thought to herself, then laughed at how, even after so much time had passed; after she’d lived and learned so much - it still always came down to the same simple issue.

Though this time around, she had a basis for comparison. A basis that, upon her laugh, looked down at her from his letter to inquire what was so funny.

What was funny was how happy she felt, here in the Underground. What was funny was how she adored being on his arm, walking with him through a place she now thought of as home. Or how she loved being _in_ his arms, dancing with him amidst a sea of beautiful fair folk, his eyes only focused on her. He'd held her close, lovingly so, and swept her across the floor with such elegance Sarah felt herself nearly mesmerized.

It was funny how her heart fluttered in her chest when he met her for coffee or greeted her with flowers after a play. It was funny how well he got on with Toby. It was funny how she'd resisted giving in to Jareth for so long for so many reasons, but now those reasons didn't matter anymore.

“Nothing,” Sarah said, murmuring a soft ‘tra la la’ as an afterthought while she stretched contentedly. Somehow, she’d come to an understanding about a great many things this night. And she knew now was the best time to voice them, lest she lose her nerve. “But I do have a question.”

He placed the letter aside and regarded her with a look of interest. “You have my attention, then.”

And didn’t she just? His attention, his devotion, his love, his time, his kingdom. She had it all. It was about time Sarah offered to share.

“What would it mean, exactly,” she asked softly, “To be Queen?”

She saw his chest rise from a soft, sharp intake of breath, and took the opportunity to sit up. She pulled the covers up to keep herself modest - and it wasn’t lost on her that the last time they’d had a Serious Conversation, they’d been in this exact position, just in her bed and on her turf. Now they were on his, and it was all the more fitting.

Sliding an arm around her waist, Jareth moved Sarah closer to him. She rested against him, cheek to shoulder, and sighed as his hands busied themselves tracing constellations on her skin.

“It would mean,” he spoke slowly, weighing each word, “Attending affairs of state with me. Meeting with other kings and queens should they pay a visit to our kingdom. Helping care for children who are wished away. Paperwork of varying sorts, of course. Listening to the goblins when they come with questions or complaints. Attending meetings about the politics and goings on of neighboring kingdoms - though most keep to themselves and only associate long enough to get drunk at solstice festivals. Assisting me on various tasks such as looking after the well-being of the Labyrinth and punishing those who do not abide by the laws of the Underground.” He paused, then added with a gentle and almost hesitant whisper, “Perhaps, one day, carrying my heir.”

She mentally checked off each one as he said it. And was shocked to discover she already did many of those very things. By her own curiosity and interest and love of the Labyrinth, she’d established herself as Queen far more concretely than she'd ever intended. She loved the people of the Underground, and so she spent time with them. She loved the Labyrinth, and so she walked it's puzzling paths and discovered secrets and openings that she'd never noticed on her first run through. She loved it's king, and was determined to be with him, no matter her fears.

A breath left her as understanding dawned on her. Whether she’d intended to or not, she’d become a part of the Underground; had cemented herself in its very essence.

“That’s… not so bad,” she breathed, though she sounded much more calm than she felt.

“What’s brought this on?”

Sarah shrugged and turned to regard him, finding her nose brushing against his own. “Tonight,” she whispered, “Was wonderful.”

He smirked. “Oh?”

“And I’ve been thinking,” she began, “You’ve made so many sacrifices for me; perhaps it’s time I do the same for you.”

What she’d hoped had been a sweet declaration made Jareth’s lips twist in a frown. Her heart sank, wondering if, like her, he’d been thinking things through and reevaluating his choice?

“Sarah,” he breathed, one hand coming up to touch her face, “No.”

She blinked, distraught. “No?”

“I have learned something in our time together,” he replied, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. “I once agreed with you that love is sacrifice, but I now know that it isn't. I deal in sacrifices every day. Someone wishes away a child. I offer them a choice: the child or their dreams. Either way, the runner loses something they value; a sacrifice. A _loss_ . Love should not be sacrifice, my dearest, most precious Sarah. Love should be compromise. A willingness to work together for the common good of the love between one another.  Anything I forsake or give to you, I do not count as loss because at the end of it all, I have _you_ . And I would not have you give up anything that you could not bear to be without, not even for my sake. If you do not wish to be queen, do not wish for anything more than what we have at this very moment, I will be- as I already _am_ \-  content.”

It was an out. She could simply thank him for understanding and change the subject. He would not ever pressure her for more than she was willing to give, and once again thoughts of fairness drifted through her mind, and Sarah decided.

“I think I can do better than that,” she whispered as she pressed a kiss to Jareth’s lips. “Someday,” she whispered against him, “Hopefully sooner rather than later, I’d like for you to ask me to marry you, with the understanding that when I say ‘yes’, I’m not only consenting to be your wife, but any and everything else you might want or need of me. And if you would like a queen by your side, then you shall have a queen. Not just because it will please you; but because I want it too. The only thing I count as loss is the time I spent being afraid to let us truly be together. But I'm not going to let fear hold me back anymore.”

It was his turn to kiss her, and she felt the tremor that moved through him at her words. He held her tight to him, breathing her in, relishing the moment and her acceptance of all he had to offer. Once, she’d offered them _for now_ , but tonight she offered them a future.

“What changed your mind?” He asked, his lips moving to press against her cheeks, her nose, her neck. She giggled and pushed him back slightly so that she could answer.

“It’s only fair,” she answered, “You give me so much; and because I love you, I want to give you something back. And if all you want is all of me, then, I want to give it. I happily give it.”

“You speak of yourself as if you mean so little,” Jareth replied passionately, “Do you not know that you are _everything_ to me?”

_How you turn my world, you precious thing..._

“All the more reason, then,” Sarah whispered, moved to the point of tears, so overwhelmed with love she was. She was determined to hold them back however, and swallowed before she spoke, “Because I feel the same about you.”

“Then we are in agreement.”

“We are in many things,” Sarah said softly, “In agreement, in love, in bed…”

His gaze went from loving to lascivious in an instant, and she was reminded of just how mischevious the Fae could be.

“Whatever should we do about that last one, I wonder?”

“Well,” Sarah giggled, “We could sleep. Or keep discussing what it would mean for me to be queen. Maybe plan every detail of my future coronation? I'm sure there are plenty of nuances and protocols I'll need to learn-”

She cut herself off with a squeal of laughter as she found herself on her back, the Goblin King hovering over her with a look of wicked intent in his gaze, reminding her of the handsome villain he’d played for her all those years ago. This time, however, they would both come out the winner.

“How about a compromise,” he suggested, “And we have our way with one another instead?”

Her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

“I think that's a marvelous idea.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, this is in honor of our beloved Goblin King, our Starman - David Bowie.


End file.
